New concerns over Minneapolis violence prevention funding decisions

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Minneapolis City Council members are raising new questions about a proposed $643,632 contract for Rev. Jerry McAfee’s violence interruption organization, Salem Inc., after McAfee blasted the council at a recent public meeting. Some council members felt threatened and now want to know why Mayor Jacob Frey's administration has selected McAfee’s nonprofit for a new violence interruption contract.

Minneapolis violence prevention funding 

What we know:

The City of Minneapolis revealed the latest recipients of more than $4 million in funding for violence prevention services over the next year. 

The work that goes beyond traditional policing involves deploying groups of violence interrupters and outreach workers to crime hot spots and other potentially volatile areas to keep the peace using non-physical conflict resolution and other means, so conflicts do not escalate. 

Rev. Jerry McAfee’s nonprofit, Salem Inc., is in line for a $643,632 contract with options to extend the funding for up to an additional two years. But some city council members have raised serious concerns about funding McAfee’s group after the long-time northside Minneapolis church leader and community activist went on a rant at a February city council meeting.

City concerned over who gets funding

What they're saying:

Minneapolis City Council member Robin Wonsley questioned why the Frey administration would select a violence prevention organization run by someone who she believes threatened violence against council members at a recent meeting.

"What message are we giving to the public by giving out a contract to an individual who has made public threats of violence over a disagreement?" asked Wonsley. "What are we signaling to our communities when we contract with organizations that have had a leader make public views of homophobia? That really jeopardizes the public's trust in us, because the public should be able to trust that the city is administering services that will keep all residents safe."

City officials, meanwhile, defended the funding choice, describing the selection of McAfee’s contract through a rigorous, impartial bidding process implemented after questions were previously raised about the way Minneapolis administered its violence prevention funding.

"While I cannot comment on individual contracts prior to their review by council, the vendors going before council on Monday were selected after receiving the highest scores across several impartial categories consistent with the Neighborhood Safety Department’s updated procurement standards. This is a process that council members have been briefed on in the past and they will receive another, more specific briefing on Monday about this specific RFP process, as well as a presentation on the violence interrupter model itself," Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette wrote in a statement to FOX 9.

It continued, "Whether or not an individual associated with a group has made comments about elected or appointed officials does not factor into the rigorous review. If that is the standard we are looking to set, many groups and individuals that have received City funding with overwhelming council support in the past fall well short of that standard. Following NSD’s fair and impartial RFP process, it is now up to City Council to authorize these contracts."

Break down violence prevention contracts

By the numbers:

The breakdown of 2025 violence interruption contracts for Minneapolis services over the next year, set to begin April 1. The city received a total of 13 proposals, selecting six vendors including Salem Inc. The contracts must still be ratified by the city council:

• Salem Inc., $643,632,
• Restoration Inc., $708,000
• T.O.U.C.H. Outreach, $708,400
• Sabathani Community Center, $708,400
• MAD DADS of Minneapolis, $619,394
• A Mother’s Love Initiative, $671,155

Total funding = $4,058,981

What's next:

The contracts are set to go before a city council committee to begin debate on Monday. But Wonsley, the committee chair, tells FOX 9 she plans to move the discussion to a separate committee the following week. 

The contracts require council approval before the city’s Neighborhood Safety Department can sign off on them.

OutFront Minnesota, the state’s largest LGBTQ advocacy organization, has already signaled its intention to speak out on the McAfee contract given the public comments he directed at the council during his outburst.

McAfee texted FOX 9 that he is not worried "at all" about ultimately receiving the funding.